Half a Life (episode)
Lwaxana takes a shine to a visiting scientist who is about to commit ritual suicide. Summary "Counselor Deanna Troi, personal log, stardate 44805.3. My mother is on board." Deanna Troi's mother, Lwaxana Troi is on board the Enterprise, still lonely and looking for her match. Jean-Luc Picard is on his way to a transporter room, to receive "the leading scientist of Kaelon II", an extremely reclusive people, who had not yet had real contact with the United Federation of Planets. On his way there, Picard encounters Lwaxana, who effusively greets him, a little bit to Picard's chagrin. He tries to get rid of her, but she cuts off every of his attempts. He also tries to explain to her that her presence when receiving the guest would not be welcome, but she interrupts him again, and Picard eventually gives in, allowing her to join Picard, Miles O'Brien and Geordi La Forge in the Transporter Room. There she immediately focusses her attention on the puzzled guest, Dr. Timicin, whom she leads away intending to show him the ship, explaining "you just think of me as your entertainment director". Once Lwaxana, Picard and Dr. Timicin have left the room, La Forge jokes to O'Brien: "That man's in a lot of trouble." "Captain's log, stardate 44805.7. For generations, the people of Kaelon II have been working to revitalise their dying sun. The Federation has offered to assist in testing what may be a solution to this problem." Deanna Troi, William Riker, Dr. Timcin, Jean-Luc Picard, Data, Beverly Crusher and Geordi La Forge are in the Observation Lounge. Dr. Timicin has made modifications to some of the Enterprise's photon torpedoes, which should help to revive the dying sun of the Kaelon system. The Enterprise is on its way to an empty star system with a sun almost perfectly identical to the Kaelon sun, in order to test the modified photon torpedoes. Meanwhile on the bridge, Lwaxana bothers an unnerved Worf by playing around with the tactical station, almost pressing a torpedo launch initiator. As William Riker, Deanna Troi and Dr. Timicin return to the bridge, Lwaxana vividly greets the Dr., who explains that he does not have time for her right now, as he is expected in Engineering. Riker politely asks her to clear the bridge, and she agrees reluctantly. Dr. Timicin then explains to Deanna, that he is surprised that Lwaxana is Deanna's mother: "She is so... vibrant.". Then in engineering, Data, and a slightly overworked Dr. Timicin and La Forge prepare the test with the modified photon torpedoes. Lwaxana Troi then walks in, claiming that the men really need a break. Dr. Timcin agrees: "Mrs. Troi, you're a wise woman. I'm sure we could use a respite.". Memorable Quotes "Mrs. Troi, I must protest your unauthorized presence on the Bridge.." "What does this little one do, Mister Woof?." "Please, Madame! That is a torpedo launch initiator. And it, uh... it is Worf, Madame; not Woof." : - Worf and Lwaxana Troi "That man's in a lot of trouble." : - La Forge to O'Brien when Lwaxana and Dr. Timicin have left the transporter room Background Information * Notice that the first scene in which Picard exits the turbolift and peeks around the corner in fear of encountering Lwaxana is mirrored in the Deep Space Nine episode "The Forsaken", when Odo, then Lwaxana's love interest on Deep Space 9, does the same thing. Yet eventually he, like Picard in this episode, fails to avoid the confrontation. * Doctor Crusher only has one line of dialogue in this episode, a second line that can still be found in the script was cut. * The brooch that Lwaxana wears on her coat at the very end of the episode was originally part of Palor Toff's costume and would later appear several times, on the clothing of an unnamed Beaked alien. * Michelle Forbes' performance in this episode was instrumental in her casting as Ro Laren later in the series. * A blooper survived the final cut of this episode. When Deanna and Lwaxana are talking in Mrs. Troi's quarters, Majel Barrett walks past a mirror, in which you can briefly see a microphone boom. Links and References Guest Stars *Michelle Forbes as Dara *Majel Barrett as Lwaxana Troi *David Ogden Stiers as Timicin *Terrence McNally as B'Tardat *Carel Struycken as Homn Co-Starring *Tracee Lee Cocco as Jae (uncredited) *Cameron as Kellogg (uncredited) *Carl Banks as Russell (uncredited) *Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace (uncredited) Parts played by unknown performers * Bennett References ambassador; animal; astronomer; asylum; Betazed; Betazoid; death; deathwatch facility; deep convection pattern; diplomacy; Fifth House of Betazed; gamma radiation; guidance system; helium; helium fusion; Holy Rings of Betazed; Homn; hydrogen; hydrogen-alpha emission; Kaelon; Kaelon II; Kaelon II Science Ministry; Kaelon sun; Kaelon warship; Kelvin; Mantickian paté; neutrino; neutron migration; nova; oskoid; pattern buffer; photon torpedo; Praxillus; Praxillus system; Prime Directive; proton reaction; Resolution; Rigel IV; ritual; Sacred Chalice of Rixx; security lockout; stellar core; Suicide; sun; tea; Troi, Ian Andrew; wig; xenophobia Category:TNG episodes de:Die Auflösung es:Half a Life nl:Half a Life